The present invention relates to a modular plastic shopping cart such as, for example, shopping carts used in supermarkets.
Known in the art, there is the international application published under publication no. WO 95/03201 naming Franck DESHOURS et al. as inventors, in which is described a trolley made of synthetic material. The trolley made of synthetic material comprises two sidewalls, each defining a side panel extended by a tab for receiving a handling bar, and a leg segment. The trolley is formed of the side panels, a front panel, a rear panel and a base. The leg is formed of segments of a junction plate. The trolley includes basket assembling means consisting of a set of alternate lugs and notches.
Also known in the art, there is the international application published under publication no. WO 96/04161 naming as inventor Leon Keith ERNST, in which is described a shopping trolley construction and identification system. The trolley is constructed from essentially planar plastic moulded components, for storage and transport in a dismantled condition. The trolley basket is formed from side panels, bottom panel, front panel, rear panel with integrally moulded child""s seat and a handle, while the base is formed by side rails and a front joining plate.
Also known in the art, there is the U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,394 naming William A. THOMPSON JR. as the inventor, in which is described a shopping cart. The shopping cart has a basket mounted on a wheeled base. The basket comprises a main body member, which is moulded in one piece from a plastic material. A one-piece gate moulded of plastic material is hingedly mounted on the body member and comprises the rear wall of the basket. The base is also formed by a one-piece frame which is moulded from plastic material, which frame has wheels mounted thereon for rolling engagement with a support surface. The frame and body member has a cooperating tongue-and-groove connection for fixedly mounting the basket onto the base.
Also known in the art, there is the U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,704, naming as inventor Gerardo Segura DE LUNA, in which is described a supermarket shopping cart. The cart is a single piece plastic body supermarket cart having a load basket and a base in which support wheels are mounted. A back plate having side wings in combination with grooves located in the side walls serve as stops. The base is provided with a rear extension, where the rear wheels of the cart are mounted. Each wheel is attached by being fastened in a hole in the base.
Also known in the art, there is the U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,696 naming as inventor Gerardo S. DE LUNA, in which is described a shopping trolley for supermarkets and the like. The shopping trolley has a basket mounted on a support structure and a user handle. The support structure is mounted on a wheeled carriage. The basket is openable at its rear to permit nesting of similar trolleys, and the rear opening is closed by a swinging flap, which is made of a single plastic moulding incorporating the basket, the support structure and the wheeled carriage.
Also known in the art, there is the international application published under international publication no. WO 97/30880 naming as inventor Michelangelo BERGIA, in which is described a supermarket trolley. The supermarket trolley comprises a base with castor wheels provided with a support from which a basket container is overhanging. The base with the support is formed by a single moulded plastic material, and the basket container is formed of a distinct body of moulded plastic material. The basket container and the support of the base are mutually connected in a quickly releasable way through lower snap-fit pins and an upper tie rod coaxial with a tubular handle.
An object of the present invention is to provide a plastic shopping cart that is modular so that when a portion thereof is damaged, it can be repaired by replacing only the damaged portion, and that at the same time can support a load that is superior to what can be supported by plastic shopping carts of the prior art.
According to the present invention, there is provided a modular plastic shopping cart, comprising a wheeled base comprising two opposite vertical side sections each having at least one horizontally projecting member providing a support surface; two side uprights connectable to the wheeled base, each of the side uprights comprising lower and upper vertical sections, each of the lower vertical sections having at least one horizontally projecting member providing a resting surface, each of the upper vertical sections having at least one horizontally projecting member providing a support surface, the support surfaces of the wheeled base and the resting surfaces of the side uprights having predetermined cooperating shapes to prevent, when assembled, relative pivoting and sliding movement between the side uprights with and the wheeled base; a basket connectable to the side uprights, the basket comprising two opposite vertical side sections each having at least one horizontally projecting member providing a resting surface, the support surfaces of the side uprights and the resting surfaces of the basket having predetermined cooperating shapes to prevent, when assembled, relative pivoting and sliding movement between the basket and the side uprights; first securing means for securing the side uprights to the wheeled base; and second securing means for securing the basket to the side uprights.
The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading up the following non-restrictive description of the preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only with reference to the accompanying drawings.